1. Field of the Invention
One or more aspects of the present invention relate to automobile cable sockets, and more particularly, to automobile cable sockets that have a simple structure, have increased efficiencies of coupling and separating operations between components, and have an improved structure so as to stably couple components to each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automobile cable socket is used to fix a cable for transferring power between automobile components such as a gearshift and a transmission to a vehicle.
An example of the automobile cable socket is shown in FIG. 1. The automobile cable socket of FIG. 1 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,462. The automobile cable socket connects a pair of cables to each other and fixes the cables to the vehicle. The automobile cable socket includes a first socket member 18, a second socket member 24, a connection clamp 50, and a stopper 68.
In the automobile cable socket having the above-described structure, when the second socket member 24 is inserted into the first socket member 18, the connection clamp 50 is coupled to the first socket member 18 so that a coupling portion 56 of the connection clamp 50 may be engaged with a sawtooth portion 58 of the second socket member 24, and the stopper 68 is inserted into a slit 66 of the first socket member 18, thereby preventing the second socket member 24 from being separated from the first socket member 18.
However, the above-described automobile cable socket includes the connection clamp 50 and the stopper 68 in order to couple the first socket member 18 and the second socket member 24 to each other. In addition, in order to couple the connection clamp 50 and the first socket member 18 to each other, the connection clamp 50 includes a flange rib 50c and a pair of inserting ribs 50a and 50b having a groove G, and the first socket member 18 includes an inserting flange 54a and a flange 54b. Thus, a structure of the automobile cable socket is not simplified, and time and cost taken to form the automobile cable socket is increased.
When the automobile cable socket is used for a long period of time, the pair of inserting ribs 50a and 50b of the connection clamp 50 are elastically deformable in a radial direction of the first socket member 18, and thus the connection clamp 50 is separated from the first socket member 18 to thus disconnect the pair of cables.
In addition, if it is required to separate the first socket member 18 and the second socket member 24 from each other after the first socket member 18 and the second socket member 24 are coupled to each other, since the connection clamp 50 is separated from the first socket member 18 by using a separator tool, efficiency of a separating operation is reduced in reality, and the connection clamp 50 may be damaged during the separation.